


Captain's Orders

by makotosbackmuscles (assemblingbrokenmemories)



Category: Free!
Genre: ENJOY THE PURE FLUFF PLEASE, M/M, Nitori needs his captain, Not too shippy, kind of is if you squint, potential more chapters depending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-14
Updated: 2014-08-14
Packaged: 2018-02-13 02:58:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2134545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/assemblingbrokenmemories/pseuds/makotosbackmuscles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nitori is determined to make the relay team for regionals, perhaps at detriment to himself. A pep talk and some advice from his captain and upperclassmen might prove more helpful than anything.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Captain's Orders

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! This is my first Free! fic and I hope that you all enjoy it ^^ 
> 
> Not too much to note here~ I realize this could potentially lead to more chapters, so there may be more in the future but this stands as an individual story for now!

When Rin came back to check if he had left his swim goggles by the pool, he wasn’t exactly surprised to see a familiar form moving through the water. He knew Nitori had been practicing after swim club hours, but he hadn’t expected to see him here this late. And from the looks of things, he was still going hard. 

“Oi, Nitori, take a break,” he called across the pool. He gestured with his head for Nitori to come join him by the side of the pool once the other had surfaced and shown he was listening. When he started moving towards the edge, Rin settled in by the side and waited. 

“Rin-sempai! You’re here late,” Nitori commented between puffs of breath, an indicator of what he had been putting himself through. “Is something wrong?” 

“Ai, how long have you been here?” 

“A half an hour?” he offered, but even exhausted his tone had a level of uncertainty. “I’m trying out a new regimen that will improve my speed and stamina–” 

“Why are you putting yourself through this? You’re going to exhaust yourself.” 

“I need to improve! My times are being beaten by younger club members. If I don’t practice I’ll never be able to keep up with them!” 

“If you work yourself to exhaustion now, you won’t have any energy to prove yourself when you are timed during club practice,” Rin responded, patting the concrete beside him, inviting his teammate to sit there. Nitori frowned, looking at bit distraught before he sighed and pulled himself out of the pool. Rin gave him a few moments to settle himself before touching the subject further. 

“Talk to me, Ai. What’s going on?” He fixed the other with a firm gaze, mouth drawn in a tight line. 

“I just want to swim my best! I need to train harder to get there!” Nitori responded, fists tightening in his lap. He stared at them intently, refusing to look his captain in the eye. 

“You trained hard last year, and that didn’t involve almost killing yourself in the process.” 

“That’s because last year wasn’t your last year!” The comment was delivered at a rush, loud and more into his lap then to the other. And by the way he caved further after he said it, Rin wasn’t sure Nitori had even wanted to give that information away. 

“Ai…” Rin found himself searching for words as he looked at the other. Nitori, who had been a constant companion to him the previous year, a training partner who he hadn’t fully appreciated when the clouds of depression and doubt had been closing in on him. 

“I want to be good enough to swim with you, Rin-sempai. To have a chance to feel what you are always talking about when you talk about relays! But I’m not good enough now. There are others faster than me…” Like the first year he lived with, who Rin had hoped would calm and give Nitori a chance to grow. What a bitter pill, to have them surpass you… Rin wasn’t sure he could have been nearly so gracious if Nitori had gained a spot on the relay team in the previous year and he hadn’t. “And this is the last chance I have… this summer. If I don’t get faster it will be gone.” 

Nitori shook his head as if trying to dispel something, looking hopeless as he sat there for a moment. Then he straightened himself up, looking out over the pool and clenching a fist in determination. 

“But I want Samezuka to be the best! Which means that it needs the fastest swimmers! And if I’m not the fastest, then I shouldn’t…” The determination was gone in a flash, leaving a miserable second year student in its place. 

“You did hear what I had to say about the relay, didn’t you?” Rin asked. “I want people who want to be there. People who are going to try their best for the sake of the team. And I knew you were one of those people, but you’re also not the only one.” 

The comments had drawn the silver-haired second year’s gaze out of his lap once again, but the hopeful look began to cloud over almost as quickly as it had appeared. 

“Look, I know you didn’t make it on the team for prefecturals, but the work you’re doing to improve isn’t going unnoticed. And you are improving, Ai. Just don’t put yourself out of commission before regionals, okay? If you do that, you won’t be on the team for sure.” Rin offered the other a bit of a smile in return, even if his words were serious. 

“Of course, Rin-sempai! I will try my hardest!’ The other responded, eyes wide though tears pricked the corners. When they grew too large to go unnoticed, he moved to wiped them hastily on his arm, trying not to sniff too loudly. 

“Good, because I don’t want to go my last summer here without swimming with you, Ai,” Rin responded, his smile widening into a grin. “So I’ll even help you out.” 

“Rin-sempai?!” Nitori’s face blanched, eyes wide with disbelief. 

“First, I want you to shower and get some clothes on. You’ve been here too long.” Rin moved to stand, offering the other a hand. “We’re going to get you some food and send you back to your dorm.” 

“Rin–”

“We’ll start tomorrow, but no sooner, got it?” 

“N-no, Rin-sempai. Thank you,” Nitori responded, sniffing loudly as his gaze returned once more to his lap. “It means a lot. That you’re willing to do this… I won’t let you down!” 

“Don’t worry about it. We’ll talk about it later, okay?” Rin quirked an eyebrow at him as he pulled him up. When they were both standing up, Nitori bowed low, hands clasped in front of him. 

“Thank you again, Rin-sempai!” he offered before scurrying off to the showers. Rin watched him go, shaking his head. 

“The things I do for that kid…,” he sighed, before chuckling a bit. But it would be worth it, he hoped.. And he loved seeing Nitori happy and determined.


End file.
